I worked at one of the larger fish processing companies in Alaska. On one of the Aleutian Islands, and there are about 500 of us that are flown up there, from all over the country/world, for a "season".
I have some concerns/questions about where I worked, and the things that go on.
I am a American, and although English is not my native tongue, I do speak it fluently, and most people cant tell I have a different tongue. 90% of the workforce at the plant is from the Philipines. What I have been encountering is that when ever I apply for a different position there, it is always a Filipino that gets it, and usually a family member of the foreman/supervisor, or somehow related to them, through distant family relations, or they are from the same providence in the Philipines
Our hours are subject to the amount of fish that are brought in from the different boats that catch them. When it gets slow on the amounts being brought in to work on, it seems that it is always the family members, or extended family members of the Filipino management that get to work.
Most of the Management does not speak clear, or concise english, and I am told by others that they pick the filipino's to work, over non filipino's because they can just speak in their Native tongue, which is called Tagola. I find it odd, that I am passed over on a position, because I am working for an American Company, but I am passed over for a job, because I do not speak a foriegn language. I thought the only language I needed to speak in America was english, at least that was what I was told when going to school, and applying for citizenship. I thought that was the only language I needed to speak working for this company, considering nowhere on the job application does it state I will need to be able to speak the filipino language, but it is the language spoken by pretty much all of the management staff on the production floor.
They moved me around pretty regularly, when I did work. If you were not part of the Filipino community, they would try to put you in jobs that no one else would like to do, the jobs that were more physical, or just more dirty then usual.
One of the places they would send me to fill in sometimes was called boxline, which was the shipping "end" of the company. I would frequently ask the foreman, and her leads (management) to keep me there permanetly, but I was always sent someplace else later.
The shipping Supervisor hardly spoke any english. She had her boyfriend promoted to a management position, and then later had her boyfriend's brother promoted to another management position in the same dept. At the same time, her boyfriends sister worked there, as well as his other brother. All of the jobs they are given are the more cushier variety, like forklift drivers, or tally positions, or just things that arent as physical, or dirty as the rest of the jobs.
This same female foreman has her son working in the dept, and when hours are slow to come by, always finds ways for him, and a few other's to work, by just doing manual labor. Someone told me that during a season last year, her other son was their also, working as a forklift driver.
When you are at the plant, if you speak out to much, about things like this, they threaten you with not having any hours to work at all, or fired. If you dont work, then you are just living there, and not making money. When you are fired, they charge you to fly back to Seattle, which is around a thousand dollars. With this, they try to hurt you financially, to keep your mouth shut, and just go along with the "program"
I think this is whole situation is weird... I dont know if it is legal. I have been home since last month, and have called a few of my cousins, and other friends, and related what I have written here. Most all tell me that this is different types of discrimination, racially biased.
I talked to a lawyer that come to our local community center, and he said that it was true, that there was discrimination going on, if what I said was true, but he was not licensed to practice law in Alaska.
I will be going back up there, one more time, for the Salmon Season next month. If there are any Lawyers in Alaska, that may read this, please contact me here.
So, for everyone else: this is what to expect, if you are to come to work for Peter Pan Sea Foods In King Cove Alaska. Even if you are a American, you will be discriminated against, on your nationality, as well as your native english language
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